Winter Waterfowl of Eastern NC
Hundreds of Thousands of Swans, Geese and Ducks!!
DEC 18-20, 2023
JAN 22-24, 2024
JAN 26-28, 2024
TRIP HIGHLIGHTS
2 Full Days of photographing waterfowl in northeastern North Carolina
Concentration on photographing 10’s of thousands of tundra swans and snow geese
Access to more than 1/2 million acres of National Wildlife Refuge and other Natural Areas
Expert and Engaging Instruction
World-class Bird Photography opportunities
WHAT TO EXPECT
The Outer Banks and adjacent mainland areas of northeastern North Carolina have 11 National Wildlife Refuges that are famous for their massive congregations of wintering ducks, geese and swans. We will photograph amazing wildlife spectacles such as a flock of nearly 80,000 snow geese and a lake with almost 300,000 ducks, geese and swans.
This photo tour will concentrate on photographing TUNDRA SWANS and SNOW GEESE. We will likely encounter ducks in our travels, but our main target will be the abundant Tundra Swans and Snow Geese. Additionally, it is likely that we will find enormous flocks of blackbirds…sometimes numbering nearly 1/4 million in flock size. There is even a chance of photographing black bears or red wolves in some of the areas that we will be exploring.
We will also, during our quest for birds, take time to photograph the natural beauty of this gorgeous coastal landscape.
This video depicts 10’s of thousands of snow geese flying above thousands of tundra swans feeding in a small pond. We will likely visit this location multiple times. The snow geese roosts on the lake that is beyond the treelike and will feed in the surrounding fields where they are easily photographable.
ITINERARY
The itinerary is subject to change and may be adjusted at any time in order to take advantage of certain weather or photographic conditions. One of my goals is to provide you with the best possible photographic opportunities. This means that I may need to adapt our schedule based on weather, light, wildlife behavior and my local knowledge.
DAY 1
We will meet at noon in Plymouth, NC and have lunch together. We will then proceed to one of the wildlife refuges to photograph until the sun goes down. Afterwards, we will likely eat dinner together. Lodging will be in Plymouth, NC at the Holiday Inn Express. I will provide you with a discounted rate.
DAY 2
We will depart before sunrise and the morning will be spent photographing at a location to be determined. We will take a short break during the middle of the day where you may also have the opportunity to review images together. The afternoon will be spent back at one of the National Wildlife Refuges.
DAY 3
Again, we will depart before sunrise, but our morning destination will be determined the night before based upon photographic conditions and participant interest. The Photo Tour will end around 10am, giving you time to check out of the hotel.